Category: Jewel Box

Treasure Hunting

eBay has made treasure hunting easy. Not only is the platform open 24/7 but it is global, so it connects you with merchants in far-flung corners of the world, and offers you security in knowing you are not throwing your money away thanks to eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee. First introduced in 2020, professional authenticators verify thousands of designer handbags, sneakers and high-end watches, plus fine jewelry for consumers. Just this year, eBay launched a collaboration with Gemological Institute of America (GIA) where new and pre-owned fine jewelry + engagement & wedding jewelry is eligible for listings retailing $500+. You can’t get that from a random vendor in a stall at a flea market.

To prove that anything can be found on eBay, Future Heirloom spoke to 5 (make that 8, if you count our virtual program, The Joy of Collecting which debuted during NYC Jewelry Week) serial hunters- designers, collectors, gallerists, and just people who love other people’s stuff! Read on, get inspired, and happy hunting! 

Ruth Harris

Collector and Curator of Beads, Owner and Designer at Don’t Let Disco @dontletdisco 

Vintage Brutalist Rings, found on eBay by Ruth Harris.
  1. What is the most surprising item that you’ve ever found on eBay? I have to say I’m not very surprised by anything I find on eBay because if you cannot find something on eBay, it doesn’t exist.
  2. Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole and discovered something you weren’t looking for? Yes, every time I log onto eBay. I’m fully aware that this will be my experience each time. I recently launched a line of leather wrap bracelets that incorporate gold charms, so each bracelet is unique and tells a different story based on its charms. Whilst charm hunting I fell in love with a vintage Rolex Cellini in 18K yellow gold. I didn’t know one could want something (so badly) that you hadn’t previously been looking for.
  3. What is one thing you have purchased that is uncharacteristic of your typical hunt? I fully support mixing metals but I don’t wear a lot of silver. A year ago I got really into Brutalist silver rings, specifically from the 60s and 70s with a focus on Danish design. This resulted in me buying more vintage silver rings than I’d care to admit. It’s all out of my system now and I do love the pieces I acquired.
  4. The one that got away: tell us about a time or a piece that you did not get but wanted really badly and it still keeps you up at night. I know a thing or two about auction strategy having worked at a major auction house for several years. One afternoon, again whilst hunting vintage gold charms, I stumbled upon a very very very preloved 1970s black Hermes Kelly Retourne. I won her for $1800 but she was flagged in eBay’s very thorough Authentication Guarantee process. She wasn’t flagged for being counterfeit though. She was flagged because the seller had not been completely honest about how damaged the bag actually was. The seller was advised to either make repairs and relist OR relist with complete transparency. I reached out to the seller proposing a lower price after sending photos to my leather guy and receiving his guesstimate on restoration. The seller was OK with knocking a few hundred bucks off but I started to panic. I couldn’t find restoration “before and after” images that made me comfortable believing it could actually be accomplished. So I abandoned the deal. It was an emotional roller coaster and I often think about how I could have had my dream Kelly bag for a great price. Maybe I shouldn’t have panicked? Maybe everything would have worked out? I do LOVE items with character! Who knows! But that’s auction, it is very emotional!
  5. Name an item you’ve purchased or bid on that has played a pivotal role in your jewelry line? This was a very recent purchase, so I don’t yet know how impactful it will end up being. But, I’m currently very inspired by a Victorian bookchain necklace. The design construction is so simple yet so rich and fulfilling. I also love layering retro box chains with my Don’t Let Disco beaded pieces, so it will be interesting to see how that aesthetic influences my work over time.
  6. What is your hunting strategy? Do you obsessively “stalk” your item or play it cool? As you can probably tell by now, I don’t have much of a strategy. I buy what I like and I try to educate myself on what I’m looking for. How cool I play it really depends on how badly I want something.
Above left to right, Harris’ eBay finds: Retro box chain bracelets and beads, Rolex Cellini, antique book chain necklace. Below: Antique book chain necklace.

Danny Santiago and Molly Rogers

Costume Designers, Currently shooting season 2 of HBO Max’s And Just Like That @andjustlikethatcostumes 

Molly Rogers and Danny Santiago in the office. Photo by Andrew Eagan.
  1. What is the most surprising item that you’ve ever found on eBay? I found a 70’s halston Andy Warhol poppy print tunic and pants.
  2. Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole and discovered something you weren’t looking for? Always. Into the wee hours of the night! I love it!
  3. What is one thing you have purchased that is uncharacteristic of your typical hunt?  I ordered 2 outdoor chaise lounges.
  4. The one that got away: tell us about a time or a piece that you did not get but wanted really badly and it still keeps you up at night. A Thierry Mugler 80’s mermaid gown with finns.
  5. Name an item you’ve purchased or bid on that has played a pivotal role in your project (film, stage, photo, costuming)? A madras Norma Kamali jacket that went with a madras balloon jumpsuit. (Worn by SJP on Season 1 of AJLT!! SEE PHOTO)
  6. What is your hunting strategy? Do you obsessively “stalk” your item or play it cool? Always looking, I have at least a dozen searches on different designers.
Clockwise from top left, from And Just Like That: Carrie’s closet, the fitting room and the madras Norma Kamali jumpsuit.

Elias Marte

Collector and Co-Partner, Alfargo’s Marketplace, @alfargosmarketplace and @staycrispymyfriends 

Clockwise from top left: Elias Marte wearing a Dali watch, 1990’s Avirex jacket, Elias sporting eBay finds, Cartier trinkets, flatware by Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe for Dansk, Elias in jewelry and a Dali watch.
  1. What is the most surprising item that you’ve ever found on eBay? I bought a vintage Benrus watch in 2016 from the 50s which has the owner’s name engraved. This is common on a lot of vintage watches. But the icing on the cake is it has the social security number as well. I have so many unanswered questions like was the original owner in the military? My theory is he must have been in the military, probably a pilot so it would make sense the social security number would be there for identification in case he crashed or had some sort of accident. 
  2. Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole and discovered something you weren’t looking for? Unfortunately always because I check eBay frequently. I sometimes come across certain items that I forget about. I recently acquired an Avirex leather jacket from the 90s that has been on my grail list for years. However, finding a size small is very rare. These jackets were very popular in the 90s and 2000s when people wore clothes much baggier. Shout outs to Professor Avirex for helping me acquire this item. 
  3. What is one thing you have purchased that is uncharacteristic of your typical hunt? Vintage porcelain jewelry trinkets. Also flatware designed by Swedish Jewelry designer Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe for Dansk. I think it’s so kool to have an item that’s jewelry related in an unexpected place like a kitchen. I always tell people when they come over about the flatware. 
  4. The one that got away: tell us about a time or a piece that you did not get but wanted really badly and it still keeps you up at night. A few years ago there was this  belted shearling jacket by Sawyer of Napa in collaboration with J.Press that I had never seen before. Sawyer of Napa is a brand that’s discontinued. They made the best shearling coats back in the day. Then adding that this was a collaboration with J.Press makes it rarer. I already had purchased a shearling very recently when I saw that one so I didn’t commit. But definitely still think about it. 
  5. Name an item you’ve purchased or bid on that has played a pivotal role in your collection? Salvador Dali watches. I have picked up a few ones over the years. The watch is out of production and they’re going up in value. The watch is a bit controversial because it reminds people of the Cartier Crash when they see it for the first time. However, the watch is modeled after a Salvador Dali “Persistence of Time” painting. People might see the watch on social media but I’m usually the first person they see in real life [wearing it], usually at a watch or jewelry event. I let them try it on. 
  6. What is your hunting strategy? Do you obsessively “stalk” your item or play it cool? I do both, I have a never ending list of grail items. I check eBay everyday, morning and evening before I go to sleep. But before I jump the trigger on an item I do my due diligence. It’s important to learn as much as possible about the item you’re going to buy. 
The vintage Benrus watch above, and Elias below.

Francesca Villa

Jewelry Designer, Francesca Villa Jewelry @francescavillajewelry

Clockwise from top left: collected of Vari-Vue, random collected trickets, the vintage antique reliquary Francesca wears, Vari-Vue Abracadabra Necklace by Francesca Villa.
  1. What is the most surprising item that you’ve ever found on eBay? I found a very beautiful antique reliquary, adorned with stunning details, all well preserved. I wear it as a pendant. It hangs from a vintage ribbon which was part of a holy vestment. It’s my personal lucky charm.
  2. Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole and discovered something you weren’t looking for? This is something that doesn’t happen to me that rarely. The fève de Rois is my biggest discovery. The Galette de Rois is a very French tradition. It’s a cake shared at Epiphany. It celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem. The fève, a porcelain figurine, (bean) is hidden inside the cake, who finds it becomes the Rois of the day. I bought the first set of five, and when I received it, I literally fell in love with them. I spent the following night looking for beautiful and precious fèves de Rois, I ended up buying almost all the available ones on the platform. After a month my studio was overwhelmed by little parcels containing these tiny beauties. I love them so much. I incorporated just 3 or 4 of them in my jewelry. I keep all the others hidden in my drawers, they are so precious.
  3. What is one thing you have purchased that is uncharacteristic of your typical hunt? I bought a set of vintage glass bottles, all in different sizes. I created a wonderful composition in my studio and during Spring I adorn it with the flowers of my garden. Another uncharacteristic purchase is a box filled with antique fabrics from different eras and countries. I found them so incredibly inspiring that I create a capsule collection called Stracci, lacci, memorie: a combination between vintage objects, fabrics and laces.
  4. The one that got away: tell us about a time or a piece that you did not get but wanted really badly and it still keeps you up at night. A set of rare vintage lenticular vari-vue, I placed a bid, I forgot to check my email, someone placed a higher bid, and I lost it. What a nightmare!!
  5. Name an item you’ve purchased or bid on that has played a pivotal role in your work? I can’t actually mention one single item. In 2020 in Italy, we had to face very long and strict months of lockdown. eBay gave me the chance to stay open to the world, searching and finding new inspirational objets trouvés. This creative activity is literally vital for me, I continuously feel the need to fill my drawers with antique and vintage little objects.
  6. What is your hunting strategy? Do you obsessively “stalk” your item or play it cool? I apply both strategies in a non-strategical way. Collecting is, first of all, a creative act. I start my hunt with a specific goal in my mind but very often my curiosity leads me to unknown fields through a surprising journey full of new treasures.
Clockwise from top left: collected Fèves de Rois, mis-matched Fève de Rois Koi Earrings by Francesca, the back of the vintage reliquary worn by Francesca, Stracci Lacci Memorie Bracelet by Francesca, drawer of vintage items, collected glass vintage bottles.

Karen Davidov

Collector & Proprietor of The Jewelry Library. @thejewelrylibrary 

The rare Bakelite necklace that got away.
  1. What is the most surprising item that you’ve ever found on eBay? I’m usually very focused in my searching, so if anything is surprising it’s because it’s inexpensive, or it’s smaller than I thought (which is disappointing and happens a lot) or surprisingly larger than I thought (which is usually wonderful).
  2. Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole and discovered something you weren’t looking for? If I find something I like, or that I’m buying, I will look at that dealer’s “other” things. On occasion, I’ll find something else I want to purchase. And sometimes I’ll end up loving everything a dealer has for sale, their eye, their taste–and I’ll follow that dealer, or get alerts when they have new things. I’ve found terrific pieces that way…
  3. What is one thing you have purchased that is uncharacteristic of your typical hunt?  I used to collect work by the Peruvian silver artist Graciela Laffi. One day, I found a rosewood box trimmed in silver. The transparent top of it held a piece of pre-Columbian fabric and there was a card inside from the Graciela Laffi shop in Lima. In those days, payment was direct to the seller and when we exchanged information, the seller told me that his parents were school teachers who traveled each summer to various places in Central and South America. They had bought the box in the late 1940’s on their trip to Peru. I showed the box and the card to a friend who was also interested in Laffi’s work and he thought that she probably sold the boxes in her shop, though he wasn’t sure she made them. It didn’t matter, I started collecting those little boxes from that moment on, and also began to learn about pre-Columbian textiles. 
  4. The one that got away: tell us about a time or a piece that you did not get but wanted really badly and it still keeps you up at night. There is not one but many that got away! Most often it’s because I was doing something else when the item came up at auction. Sometimes I miss things by minutes. One thing that keeps me up is a Schiaparelli piece designed by Verdura called “The Scamp”, it was a Schiap perfume/brooch piece. I’d seen it once and then it was on Ebay a few years later, I was bidding on it and I had a number in mind and it was going higher than I thought and I hesitated and the clock was ticking and suddenly it was over and I didn’t get it. I’m a little better at it these days. Years ago, a dealer named Norman Crider who specialized in costume jewelry and owned The Ballet Shop in NYC, told me you never regret the things you buy, you always regret the things you didn’t buy. That rings true on eBay!
  5. Name an item you’ve purchased or bid on that has played a pivotal role in your collection? I think that the books and magazines I’ve purchased have played an important role in my collection. For example, I’ve bought vintage issues of American Crafts magazine to document a particular jewelry artist of the 1960’s say and then have found other interesting artists whose work I am now aware of and actively look for. 
  6. What is your hunting strategy? Do you obsessively “stalk” your item or play it cool? I try to play it cool, especially at auction. But I’ve also missed items that way, thinking that the price will go way up closer to the auction end time. The other day there was a rare bakelite necklace I was “watching” and it had 30 or so bids but wasn’t that expensive a few hours before the auction ended. I didn’t put a bid in, thinking I’d go in later, but I was busy with something and it went for the price it had been a few hours before. Next time, I’ll put on an alarm!
Clockwise from top left: Schiaparelli “The Scamp” sketch by Falco di Verdura, “The Scamp” perfume bottle/brooch designed by Verdura for Schiaparelli, the rosewood silver trimmed box with pre-Colombian fabric in lid.

Written by Bella Neyman; Image credits as noted, provided by interviewees. Feature edited, compiled, and formatted by JB Jones. Learn more about eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee and get to treasure hunting!

Jewel Box: Inside The Office of Collecting and Design

Today we’re excited to launch a new recurring column: Jewel Box, a series on bejeweled spaces—locations that are jewelry-adjacent, visually rich, playful, and inviting. We aim to expand how we all think of adornment by widening our lens to celebrate adorned interiors of all kinds, from jewelry-industry spaces to shops, arts & cultural institutions and more that we think should be on your radar.

We’re delighted to kick off this new series with a behind-the-scenes tour of The Office of Collecting and Design, a gem of a museum in the Nevada desert. We sat down with the founder and curator of The Office of Collecting and Design, filmmaker Jessica Oreck, to talk about the museum, its unique (and extensive) contents, and the many remarkable stories that accompany it. Grab your magnifying glass and let’s dive in:

Jessica Oreck in the Office of Collecting and Design. Image Credit: Homer Liwag.

FUTURE HEIRLOOM: Tell us a bit about the Office of Collecting & Design: What led you to start the museum?

JESSICA ORECK: My parents say that I started collecting before I started talking. (Likely some snowball mythology there, but who am I to argue?) Though my early collections didn’t make it to adulthood, collecting remains very much at my core. Being a collector feels like one of my defining character traits. It isn’t just objects, but the way I live my life.The way I travel, the ideas I am drawn to, and most especially the way I work, are all built around patterns and series.  

When I started making stop-motion animations professionally in 2011, that prompted an entirely new echelon of collecting. Many of the collections in the museum were seeded from props used in short films I made. Now it is a source of mutual motivation – sometimes the animations instigate a collection and sometimes the collections inspire an animation.
The museum is thoroughly multi-purpose. During the day it’s a museum (free and open to the public!) But it also functions as a prop library. When I have no appointments, I sneak into my studio at the back and animate.  

At night, we host events in the museum: craft nights, readings, tiny concerts, dinner parties.  And we also offer the space for rent as a backdrop for photoshoots as well as a BYOB cocktail hour.

Image Credit: Jessica Oreck.

FH: Can you give us some insight into the process of designing the space? How did you decide on the layout and displays in the space? What was most important to you about the design?
JO: It has been a very intuitive process. The entire undertaking has been a lesson in trusting my approach, my ability, and myself. 
It’s hard to explain (even to myself) what is important in the design. 

The Reading Room Gallery Wall at the museum. Image Credit: Johnny Espitia.

It feels to be simply a matter of knowing that something is in the right place or it isn’t. Sometimes, when something is out of place, I walk into the space and it feels out of balance – like the whole room is tilted in one direction or another. It sounds sort of mystical and highly impractical (from an outsider’s perspective), but that’s the best explanation I have.  

The space and the displays are constantly evolving. 
As new objects come into the museum, I often have to rearrange great swaths of the exhibit in order to accommodate even the tiniest of pieces. 
Sometimes I am sad to break up the flow I’ve established to incorporate something new, but I find it tends to end up superior and more compelling in its new iteration.

The objects, to me, sometimes have their own voice, certainly their own personality, and if nothing else, at the very least an ineffable weight that dictates where they belong. 
It feels ridiculous to say that out loud, but I have.

Top Row, Left to Right: An assortment of Jessica’s estate sale finds; Metal bits and bobs in the museum’s collection.
Bottom Row: A collection of Japanese pigments, sourced from an estate sale; this collection belonged to a painter, the wife of a pilot who had worked for Japan Airlines. Backstory via Office of Collecting and Design Instagram. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.

FH: How have you accumulated the collections in the museum over the years?
JO: I have spent many delicious hours over the course of the last 3 decades hunting at flea markets, estate sales, beaches, trash dumps, swap meets, other people’s grandparents’ attics…. I adore the hunt.
(One of my rules for the museum is that I won’t buy anything online to add to the museum, I have to find it in person. Though we now accept donations too!)

Top Row: Chinese Reverse-painted glass beads; Bottom Row: an assemblage jewelry box; both were gifted to the museum by friends of Jessica’s. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.

Folks have called the museum a “time machine,” a “nostalgia machine,” and a
“mix between the Hogwarts Castle and their grandparents’ home.”

Jessica Oreck on visitor reactions to the Museum

FH: What feelings/experiences do you hope to evoke in the visitor? 
JO: Folks have called the museum a “time machine,” a “nostalgia machine,” and a “mix between the Hogwarts Castle and their grandparents’ home.”

The type of people that enjoy the museum aren’t necessarily the type to be drawn to the more mainstream elements of Las Vegas.  It’s sort of like a built-in filter to find “my people.”  Either you get it or you don’t.  But the people that get it really really love it.  We’ve had some wonderful reactions.  (We once had someone stay for 6 hours and a couple who came back three days in a row!)

Vintage and Antique Cracker Jack charms, organized by color.
Image Credit: Jessica Oreck.

I love the enthusiasm of the folks that get it, but I also love the really unexpected ones. For instance, we had a really macho guy here with his girlfriend. He was trying to be polite, but was maybe a bit bored, maybe a bit confused.  And then he opened a drawer and pulled out an object.
He looked at me in total wonderment, with actual tears in his eyes, and said. “I haven’t thought about this since I was six years old. So many memories just came flooding back to me.”  He just took it and sat down with it and was completely absorbed in those lost memories for a long while. It was so rewarding.

FH: What has been most exciting/fun about
opening the space for you?
JO: I couldn’t possibly pick just one thing. It has been such a source of joy and satisfaction to spend time around these objects. These pieces of trash/treasure that each hold what I call a “residue of attention.” All the things they’ve witnessed, the love and use they’ve been afforded, I get to run my fingers through that on a daily basis. It feels a little like magic sometimes.

Top Row, Left to Right: : A rock collection; A button featuring a bird and its nest; Beads and rocks.
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Flat stone cabachons that resemble landscapes; Stone spheres + marbles of various sizes. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.

“These pieces of trash/treasure that each hold what I call a ‘residue of attention.’
All the things they’ve witnessed, the love and use they’ve been afforded, I get to run my fingers through that on a daily basis. It feels a little like magic sometimes.”

Jessica Oreck on what most excites her about the Museum

But I have also really loved getting to meet all the visitors.  I love getting to see what sparks them, hear about their own lives and collections, and in some cases build long-term friendships.

I’ve loved being a part of the Instagram community.  There’s so much enthusiasm and appreciation – not to mention knowledge.  It’s incredible to be able to post something I know nothing about and within a couple of hours have responses detailing a history I couldn’t have imagined.  

Top Row, Left to Right: Milagros (symbolic good luck charms) in a wooden box; Metallic Cracker Jack charms; A flatlay of metal bits.
Bottom Row, Left to Right: More Milagros; A stunning Victorian hair choker necklace. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.

And, of course, I love the donations. I mean, can you imagine anything better than receiving packages in the mail full of strange and wonderful treasure on a weekly basis?  It’s like the best subscription service I never signed up for.

An especially unique jewelry piece in the Museum’s collection: a tooth charm on a necklace.
The accompanying card reads “Gold-Plated Wisdom from the Head of Your Father, 11/2013”. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.
Details shots from a Victorian Microscope Slide cabinet, currently on loan to the Museum. Image Credits: Johnny Espitia.

FH: Do you have any specific favorites in the collection?
JO: One of my favorite objects in the museum something we received as a donation very early on.  It came in a box with a couple of other lovely objects, but it is just so darn mysterious.  The box had very little information (we now require more info when folks donate.). But the note just said that the donor had had it for a long while and thought it would find a good home at the museum.

It is a tiny wooden box, about an inch square, relatively old, based on age and wear to the wood.  The sides and top are wood-burned with little designs and the letters XNYD.  The lid pivots to one side to reveal a little pocket lined with dried rose petals and what look to be pieces of eggshell. 

The Famous Mystery Fish. Image Credit: Jessica Oreck.

And nestled in the middle is a tiny desiccated fish.  

I. Have. So. Many. Questions.

But I love that someone made that. And then someone saved it for many years. And then someone sent it to the museum. I often joke that had anyone else received this strangeness in the mail they may have been concerned, considering who might be sending them a death threat. But to me, it is the perfect object to welcome into the collection. I can’t imagine it could have a better home.

FH: What would you say is the largest collection (or object)
in the museum?
JO: My longest running (and largest) collection is of “unplayable” dice.  (Think Las Vegas standards: the pips might be slightly off, the corners chipped, handmade, poorly balanced, etc.)

FH: How and when did you start your dice collection?
JO: The earliest item in the museum was given to me when I was 12 years old.  It is a tiny wooden box with two tiny tiny dice in it.  The box and contents had belonged to my great grandmother and were given to me by my aunt.  That was the initiation of my dice collection – which now numbers at least several hundred strong.  

Selections from Jessica’s extensive dice collection. Image Credit: Jessica Oreck.

FH: Do you have a dream project, collection, or collaboration for the museum?
JO: Someday, I’d love to move the museum into a shipping container and make it mobile.  I’d love to be able to bring it to different places and meet an even wider variety of people.  I can’t begin to imagine how I could possibly secure thousands of tiny objects in a way that they would survive a road trip, (or what an inordinate amount of money that would require), but I can still dream!

Since the museum also functions as a prop library for my animation work, I am currently working on several new animated series – short documentary/educational content that is super fun, but I haven’t found the right venue. I’ve made several series for TED, but looking to branch out. My dream is to be part of an educational network – a group of folks making work that is well researched and well curated and somehow makes us money too while not slaving to an algorithm based on ad research. I’m sure there is someone out there who is looking for exactly the content I am making. I hope they’re reading this!

Top Row, Left to Right: A collection of vintage and antique miniature perfume bottles; A flatlay of doll hands; A display of miniature mushrooms.
Bottom Row, Left to Right: A stately display of miniature frames; a flatlay of white objects in the museum’s collection. Image Credits: Jessica Oreck.

FH: Any exciting upcoming projects or collaborations for the museum that you’d like to share?
JO: We are always looking for commissions and collaborations, so please reach out at officeofcollecting [at] gmail [dot] com
or on Instagram/TikTok @office.of.collecting.

FH: Finally, how can readers best support your work and the museum? 
JO: Of course, we love donations – both monetary and object based.  But we do also sell merchandise and seasonal products. 
The best way to stay up to date on those opportunities is to follow us on Instagram or TikTok (@office.of.collecting). 
Helping to spread the word about our little museum is always hugely appreciated!

You can learn more about The Office of Collecting and Design on their website, here more from Jessica about the museum on the Atlas Obscura podcast, and follow the museum on Instagram @office.of.collecting.

Our sincere thanks to Jessica Oreck and the Office of Collecting and Design for this feature. Interview responses and images courtesy of Jessica Oreck. Headshot Photography by Homer Liwag; all other Image Credits by Jessica Oreck or Johnny Espitia, as noted. Interview conducted and feature edited, compiled, and formatted by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

How They Wear It: Suchi Reddy

On Future Heirloom, the Power of Jewelry is central: we want to celebrate jewelry and jewelry stories in all forms—including the infinite, unique ways jewelry is worn, and what that says about the wearer. Today, we’re kicking off a new series on exactly that: How They Wear It. How They Wear It will spotlight people from around the globe, of diverse professions and backgrounds, and talk to them about how they use jewelry to express themselves.

Our debut How They Wear It features Suchi Reddy, an Indian architect and artist based in New York. We talked to Suchi about her jewelry collecting habits, what she looks for in an accessory, what pieces are most special to her, and more. Explore the world of jewelry with us.

Future Heirloom: Who are you?
Suchi Reddy: I am Suchi Reddy, I’m an architect /artist originally from Chennai, India, but now a long time New Yorker.

FH: When did you start wearing and collecting jewelry?
SR: I am a tale of paradoxes. Growing up in India, where jewelry is not just an obsession, but a heritage, I was not into it at all, except for appreciating it aesthetically.
Its position as a status symbol in our culture was not one that I really wanted to engage with. In fact, I did not wear much jewelry until I was in my thirties, and a practicing architect here in New York. I began collecting jewelry, but this time around it was my love of innovative materials that drove me to find and wear unique pieces.

FH: How do you wear your jewelry?
SR: I have been told that I dress like an architect and accessorize like a designer! I wear my jewelry usually as the star of the show.

FH: Who is your greatest jewelry or style inspiration?
SR: That is a tough question, I have so many… if I had to pick one I would return to my traditional roots: there is a Bollywood film called “Jodhaa Akbar,” about the most famous inter-religious marriage in Indian history, hen Emperor Akbar, a Muslim, married Princess Jodhaa, a Hindu. The jewelry in this film is exquisite!

FH: What are your go-to jewelry brands?
SR: Objet-a, a New York City-based brand By Tom Dunn and Olivier Pechou, is one of my go-to’s. I also love Pono.

FH: Do you see any trends that people should be aware of?
SR: In recent years, I have been impressed with how many men wear jewelry, especially bracelets. I think this is a huge trend.

FH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry?
SR: It is a necklace of black stones that I found in a vintage shop in Wisconsin many years ago.

FH: Any sentimental pieces / most memorable piece of jewelry?
SR: Anything my mother gave me has a special place in my heart and life, especially a chain of black and gold beads that she gave me.

Thanks to Suchi Reddy for sharing How She Wears It. Connect with Suchi and her company Reddymade Architecture and Design here.

Text, quotes, and images provided by Suchi Reddy, edited by Jackie Andrews and JB Jones.

From the desk of: Caroline Ervin

In From The Desk Of we’ll get the inside scoop on what’s inspiring some of our favorite jewelry personalities, influencers, historians, and experts. We’re kicking things off with Caroline Ervin, gemologist, consultant, educator, and jewelry media personality extraordinaire. With a foundation in Art History and a background in the auction industry, Caroline’s expertise and perspective on jewelry and business is multifaceted to say the least. Today, we’ll talk with Caroline about a little something that’s on her jewelry wishlist.

But first, here’s a bit more about Caroline: 

Growing up in New England, Caroline Ervin formed an early appreciation for art and antiques, while attending local auctions with her grandparents. After studying Art History Colorado College, Caroline worked at various auction houses, always fascinated by the excitement and intensity of this transparent form of selling. She realized that jewelry was the specialty area where she belonged after witnessing the historic auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry while working in a support department at Christie’s. Caroline then began working toward her Graduate Gemologist degree at the GIA, and landed a job in the renowned Christie’s Jewelry Department. Rising the ranks from a cataloguer to a Specialist and Associate Vice President at Christie’s, Caroline also became an auctioneer for the company, selling everything from multi-million dollar contemporary paintings to space memorabilia, and presiding over such landmark auctions as The Collection of Lee Bouvier Radziwill and The David Gilmour Guitar Auction. Caroline left Christie’s in June 2021 to focus on developing her own business. She is a jewelry media personality, gemologist, consultant, and educator and shares her favorite jewels, from the antique to the contemporary, via her Instagram page.

And now from Caroline’s Desk:

Want to know one thing on my jewelry collection wishlist?! A ‘Ludo’ jewel by Van Cleef & Arpels!

Van Cleef & Arpels first introduced their signature ‘Ludo’ bracelet in 1934, under the supervision of Renee Puissant, Alfred Van Cleef’s daughter. Artistic director of the company from 1926 – 1942, she collaborated closely with the talented designer René-Sim Lacaze, and together this team was to exercise a great influence over the style of creations made between the two World Wars. Successful since its inception, the ‘Ludo’ model went on to become one of the quintessential hallmarks of post-war production. The best-known and iconic version consisted of a mosaic arrangement of articulated hexagons in polished metal, referred to as the ‘à ruche’ or ‘beehive’ pattern, with a precious stone at the center of each plaque in a ‘serti etoile’ or ‘star’ setting.

Shown above: retro sapphire and diamond “Ludo Hexagone” bracelet. Circa 1936, it features old and calibré-cut sapphires, old and single-cut diamonds.

This sweet Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Ludo’ jewel, a clip-brooch, shown above and below, features over 90 diamonds, approximately 4 carats, set in 18k yellow gold. Circa 1935.

Thanks to Caroline Ervin for sharing items from her jewelry wishlist with us. Want more? Join our mailing list to be alerted when new content drops and find Caroline on the daily @thecarolineervin.

Text by Caroline Ervin. Photos and image details courtesy of Christie’s. Video courtesy of Caroline Ervin. Introduced and edited by Jackie Andrews.